Introduction
The NuvoH2O patented design and proprietary formulation was developed from almost thirty years of commercial experience. First designed for the food services industries, these products have helped solve complex water problems for some of the nation’s largest businesses.
NuvoH2O’s residential product is a point-of-entry, cartridge-based water softening system containing a citric acid media, which lowers the water’s alkalinity and chelates the hardness causing ions (See Figure 1). This prevents and removes scale formation in appliances and fixtures installed in the home. The cartridge inside the NuvoH2O System is expended throughout the use cycle, typically, 6 months of normal household usage.
An estimated 85% of the United States face hard water issues. Two primary concerns are the decreased life of any appliance subjected to scale build-up and increased energy consumption to heat water for household use.
First, hard water build-up clogs and corrodes pipes, fixtures and appliances shortening their lifespan by as much as 25-30%. NuvoH2O prevents scale, increasing the life of the appliance and decreasing the potential repair costs associated with scale. NuvoH2O can also remove scale in many existing applications returning the appliances an improved state of efficiency.
Second, heating water is the second largest energy expense in a typical household according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); it can be directly translated that a scaled heating element can cause a higher energy bill than an un-scaled element. Every day, countless homes waste untold millions due to the inefficient heating of water caused by hard water buildup. NuvoH2O prevents the scale from inside the water heater decreasing the energy required to heat the water.
NuvoH2O tasked Battelle with confirming and quantifying the benefits of the NuvoH2O System. A primary component of the study was the longevity of appliances (instantaneous water heaters) and fixtures (showerheads) and the resulting energy savings for a typical U.S. household from use of the NuvoH2O System (See Figure 2).
Study Findings
Scale Prevention. The results of the Battelle study are conclusive – the NuvoH2O System prevents the formation of scale. The visual assessment of the heating elements after teardown analysis clearly shows that the NuvoH2O systems prevented scale. The visual observation is supported by the detailed breakdown quantifying the exact scale amounts.
On average, untreated heaters exhibited more than 50x the scale mass than NuvoH2O treated heaters with some untreated heaters exhibiting as much as 90x to 140x more scale formation. The average measure of scale (.87 g NuvoH2O vs. 45.6 g untreated) indicates that the NuvoH2O system effectively prevented over 98% of the scale formation over the simulated 2.2-year test period.
In addition, the NuvoH2O-treated showerheads had less surface scaling than the untreated showerheads with the worst-performing showerheads having more than 80% of their nozzles were clogged.
Scale Removal. The NuvoH2O systems are effective at improving energy efficiency and removing existing scale. When installed into existing homes, not only will the NuvoH2O system prevent the scale build-up but can also remove scale and improve appliance efficiency in many applications.
Energy Savings. The more time required to achieve a steady operational state suggests that (1) additional energy is used to bring the water temperature to a desired level and (2) water is typically run longer resulting in increased water waste.
The NuvoH2O-treated water heaters exhibited over a 25% shorter time to achieve a steady-state of operation when compared to untreated water heaters. This decrease is achieved because the NuvoH2O-treated elements were able to directly transfer the heat from the copper elements to the water whereas scale on the untreated heating elements acted as a barrier to the heat transfer.
Executive Summary
The NuvoH2O Efficacy and Consumer Benefits Study tested tankless water heaters supplied with NuvoH2O softened water and untreated hard water under controlled laboratory conditions designed to accelerate the waterside scaling and then quantify the scale growth and the performance efficiencies.
The independent study specifically focused on the effectiveness of the NuvoH2O systems in (1) preventing scale and protecting the appliance from the corrosive and destructive power of scale, (2) preventing scale and producing an energy savings for the consumer, and (3) removing scale and returning appliances to a more efficient state of operation.
The study protocol was Battelle-developed and approved by NuvoH2O. For this study, Battelle tested 15 Bosche RP17PT electric tankless water heaters and was performed using treated municipal water with approximately 15 grains per gallon hardness and a pH value of about 7.8 – 8.0.
The first phase simulated approximately 2.2 years of water heater use in approximately 4.5 months of testing. Five (5) NuvoH2O-treated instantaneous electric water heaters (IEWHs) and ten (10) untreated IEWHs were set up for continuous testing. Battelle performed teardown analysis on five (5) NuvoH2O-treated heaters and five (5) selected untreated heaters at end of the first phase to assess scaling in the water heaters.
The treated and untreated water also flowed through corresponding Delta RP42578 showerheads that provide full spray at the identified test flow rates/pressure to further analyze scale growth.
For the second phase of testing, the remaining five (5) untreated water heaters were transitioned to installation with NuvoH2O
Systems. The intention of Phase II was to document NuvoH2O System’s ability to remove existing scale and improve appliance efficiency. The heaters selected for the second phase of study exhibited various degrees of scaling which served as the baseline heater condition.
The Independent Consumer Benefits Study of NuvoH2O was conducted from 2011- 2012 in conjunction with, but not endorsed by, the Battelle Memorial Institute and funded by NuvoH2O.